Wednesday, April 20, 2016

12 Monkeys, Season Two, Episode One: Year of the Monkey

After being injured, Cassandra has been sent by Cole to the 2043 with the hope that Dr. Jones can save her. Even though Ramse betrayed him, Cole decides to save his life. This is a big deal because this means that Cole changed history because Ramse was supposed to die. How true this is is questionable given that the person declaring Ramse's death is the Witness but there's obviously an agenda here. At this point, it's not clear how Ramse still being alive is going to change history in terms of the release of the virus.

Year 2016

Ramse is on the run and when he is cornered on a bridge, he falls into his knees. While Ramse keeps the army the striking woman talking, Cole sneaks around and places a bomb on the car. Before Ramse can be shot, Cole sets off the bomb freeing his friend. Cole and Ramse banter back and forth before asking the striking woman where the virus is. They don't get any answers because more forces arrive on motorcycle and they are forced to jump off the bridge in desperation. The striking woman is more than prepared, having been already informed that this would happen by the Witness. With Cole and Ramse gone, the striking woman gives the order to have Jennifer shadowed because it's taking too long to release the virus.

So, how exactly does the army of the 12 monkeys keep finding Ramse? Well, it seems that while Ramse was working with them, they injected a tracker into him. The big plan is to get the tracking chip removed and before Cole and Ramse go their separate ways. Cole is still determined to stop the virus and Ramse cannot get over the fact that if Cole is successful, this means that his child will never been born. Despite the fact that Cole and Ramse care about each other, it's clear that these two are clearly at an impasse.

Year 2043

Cassie is having flashbacks to ordering Cole to kill Ramse. When Cassie awakes, she finds herself in the future with Dr. Jones having been unconscious for four days. Cassie explains that they tracked Ramse, who was working for the army of the 12 monkeys and that Cole wouldn't stop Ramse. Dr. Jones believes that Cole's judgment isn't reliable when it comes to Ramse. Cassie reveals that she shot Ramse and that it wasn't difficult for her to do. Things aren't much safer in the future because the Messengers, who are part of the same organisation that Cole and Cassie were fighting in the past, have taken over the facility. It seems that the Messengers want the machine so that they can travel through time but Jones has no idea why. Jones injects herself with something so that she will know what the Messengers change in the past.

The conversation is cut short when Deacon enters the room to inform Jones that the Messengers are ready for her. Jones is lead to the machine where one of the Messengers has been prepared for travel. The proposed traveller is told that he will meet his group again "in the forest when the blood has been washed away". Jones asks where and when she is to send the traveller but she is told that this is none of her concern and is ordered to initiate the sequence. Jones starts up the machine and the volunteer traveller finds his body set on fire ad pulled away in bits. It's pretty awesome. Jones laughs to herself and asks who is next. Jones has locked the Messengers out of the machine and dares them to kill her. Rather than kill Jones, they decide to threaten to kill Cassie. Jones argues that they cannot kill Cassie because she is the one who sent a message from the past (which she has yet to send) which inspired her to build the machine in the first place. Unfortunately for Jones and Cassie, they are informed that they don't understand the nature of time and causality. Jones is informed that if something is meant to be it will be. When a Messenger strolls towards Cassie to kill her, Deacon tries to intervene but is warned that if he persists, his deal is off. Fortunately for Cassie, someone breaks Jones's code and the Messengers are able to send one of them back.

Year 2016

Cole enters Dr. Benjamin Kalman's class to find Kalman finishing a lecture on the harm of bio engineering. Kalman is not at all pleased to see Cole and explains that he walked away and became a better man. Kalman doesn't want to get involved but Cole suggests that he owes Ramse because Ramse made him a better man. Kalman agrees to meet with Ramse.

Year 2043

Now that a Messenger in the past, Deacon escorts Cassie back to her cell, claiming that his deal with the Messengers is only temporary. Cassie isn't interested in this and instead focuses in on the fact that Deacon has jaundice and the shakes. Cassie adds that he bruises easily and has a ring in his eyes, and then diagnoses him with Wilson's disease. Cassie points out that he will look weak to his men and that his disease is fatal if untreated. Cassie suggests that if Deacon helps her to stop the men, she will return to the past and help him get the medicine he needs. Deacon is not biting, so Cassie points out that 30 years ago, his friend destroyed the world. Deacon walks away but he's clearly thinking about Cassie's offer

Year 2016

Kalman finds the tracker inside of Ramse and agrees to remove it. Cole watches Kalman gun in hand. Kalman reveals that he is not a brave man and says that he doesn't like guns and so Cole agrees to go and keep watch. Kalman removes the tracker and shows it to Ramse. Unfortunately for Ramse, Kalman injected him with something which paralyzed him. It's time for the villain to do his confession. Kalman paralyzed Ramse in order to deliver Ramse to the army of the 12 monkeys in exchange for protection from the plague. Kalman reveals that Jennifer will release the virus in a matter of days. Just in time for the Chinese New Year - the year of the monkey. Kalman grabs a gun saying that he is sorry about what is going to happen to Cole. Ramse manages to throw himself off the chair which makes a large noise, as Kalman tries to sneak up on Cole. Cole however gets the upper hand and sneaks up behind Kalman, who immediately drops his gun admitting that he is working for the army of the 12 monkeys. Cole shoots Kalman and returns to Ramse, who fails to give Cole any information Kalman shared with him about when the virus was going to be released.

Year 2043

Deacon heads to see Cassie and gives her a knife that she is to slide quickly into her jailers neck. Deacon warns Cassie that she cannot miss and must be quick. Deacon grabs the jailer and has to encourage Cassie to act because she is nervous about taking life. Deacon then hands Cassie a gun and welcomes her to the future. Deacon's next act is bring the West 7 into the facility. The West 7 has taken Whitley captive and instead of ordering Whitley killed, Deacon gives him a gun saying that they need all the help they can get.

Year 2016

Now that Ramse is free of the tracker they discuss what to do next. Cole starts to walk away and Ramse calls out that Jennifer has the virus and is in New York. Ramse even admits that Kalman warned him that it would be released on Chinese New Year. Cole questions why Ramse would share this information and Ramse explains that a part of him feels that it won't make a difference and that Cole will keep trying until he gets himself killed. Ramse is adamant that Cole is not dying on his watch and they decide to head to New York together.

In New York, Jennifer is wondering through the streets mumbling to herself. When next we see Jennifer, she is speed dating of all things. Her date Dale, does his best but Jennifer is fixated on a sign which reads, being single is not the end of the war. Jennifer pulls out a vial containing the virus and Dale immediately realises that something is wrong with Jennifer, who rambles about the fact that there are many reasons for her to release the virus. Jennifer puts a gun on the table and tells Dale that today he can save the world by murdering her. The timer goes off, which is the indicator to move to another date and Jennifer stands and walks away. Dale grabs his phone and calls 911

Year 2043

Led by Deacon, the West 7 and Cassie make their way to the splitter room. More and more of the men go through the machine. Since they cannot get into the splitter room, they decide to overload the power. Using a laser, Cassandra manages to warn Jones to get down just before the Splitter machine explodes. Jones survives the explosion but so does one of the Messengers. The Messenger starts to strangle Jones but is shot dead by Deacon. Cassandra and Whitley help Jones get to her feet and she reports that 6 Messengers went back in time. Jones is shocked when she sees the machine and says that it could take up to a year to fix.

Year 2016

Cole and Ramse walk through the streets where people are celebrating the Chinese New Year. Since there is so much ground to cover, they agree to split up and look for Jennifer. It's Cole who spots Jennifer in a crowd and when he calls to her, she takes off running. Cole follows Jennifer into a parking garage and when cornered, she pulls out the virus, causing Cole to pull out his gun. Jennifer says that her faith in humanity has been restored because Cole is there to stop her. Jennifer asks Cole to kill her but he hesitates and finally lowers his weapon. Cole asks Jennifer to give him the virus but three men join them on the roof. Jennifer is told that her entire life has led her to this moment. Cole is ordered to drop his weapon and is told that tragedy is the time he has spent running from fate. Cole again tries to plead with Jennifer. Cole is told that his deviation has run it's course but before he can be killed, Cassandra appears and shoots all of the armed men. Cassandra tells Cole that he needs to move away and that she and Jones figured out what happened in 2044. Cassandra says that this will end when Jennifer dies. Cole however is adamant that killing Jennifer is not the answer because she is being made to do this. Cole points his gun at Cassandra, as she begs him not to make her do this. Cole responds that Cassandra has a choice and asks her what it is going to be.

It seems that the big set up for season two is that Cassandra and Cole have completely changed roles. In season one, it was Cassandra who held Cole back because his first instinct was to kill first and ask questions later. After Cassandra's stint in the future with Deacon as a mentor, it now seems that Cassandra is willing to do whatever is necessary to avoid the release of the virus. This puts her directly at odds with Cole.

Ramse and Cole seem to have repaired their relationship though Cole keeps bringing up that he was betrayed. We don't know yet if the fact that Ramse is still alive means that things in the past are going to change. We don't know yet what role Ramse will play in the upcoming battle to ensure that the virus is not released. I hope that he is given more to do this season because I absolutely love Kirk Acevedo.

Evil Bates (think Downton Abbey) guest stared. I really could not stop thinking of him as Bates, even though I was excited to finally see him in something outside of a period piece. I wish that his role had been larger and lasted longer because I really do like Brendan Coyle.